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Heather Wastie writes poems, songs & monologues. This blog began with her oral history project with people who worked in the carpet industry in Kidderminster. Her carpet industry related pieces appear on this blog and in her book http://blackpear.net/authors-and-books/heather-wastie/

Monthly Archives: November 2018

Have you heard of the Emergency Poet? Deborah Alma is ‘the world’s first and only mobile poetic first aid service. A mix of the serious, the therapeutic and the theatrical, the Emergency Poet offers consultations inside her ambulance and prescribes poems as cures.’

I’ve supplied her with a few poems for her prescriptions in the past, having responded to call-outs for themed pieces. Her latest request was for Brexit or NHS poems for an event this coming weekend in Shrewsbury. Coincidentally, I wrote a Brexit poem only last week, incensed by the plough-on-regardless attitude of our PM, so I sent it off immediately. She said it was perfect – I mean the EP, of course, not the PM. There would be absolutely no point sending it to the latter.

So if you’re at the NHS / Healthcare Day in Shrewsbury on Saturday, do look out for the Emergency Poet and if you receive a copy of my poem, let me know.

And here’s a quote from Canal Laureate, Nancy Campbell: “I’m enjoying Don’t Oil the Hinges enormously… I love the way Heather weaves introductions into the book, I’ve never seen this done before and it creates a lovely, intimate reading experience.”

Do come and see me performing extracts from the collection at the following events:

Birmingham is Big, but fits inside my pocket
Birmingham is International, coloured by its people
Birmingham is Rich, vibrating like a violin
Birmingham is Motorway connecting and inviting
Birmingham is Improvising boogie-woogie fusion
Birmingham is Neighbourhood, from Erdington to Hollywood
Birmingham is Ghosts, in catacombs and cloisters
Birmingham is Happening, bustling and boisterous
Birmingham is Animated, stimulating, motivating
Birmingham is Moreish like chocolate and tea

Birmingham is Cadbury, Typhoo, Bird’s and Rover
a journey, a heritage, a poem bubbling over

Birmingham is Ballet, Balti and Bull Ring
Birmingham is Ikon, canals to ride your bike on
Birmingham is Rednal, Rotunda and Rotton Park
Birmingham is Music pulsating Broad Street after dark
Birmingham is Iron Man, Victoria and Floozie
Birmingham is NEC, NIA and ICC
Birmingham is Gas Street, Brasshouse, Brindley
Birmingham is Heavy metal, Brylcreem and jewellery
Birmingham is Aston Villa, Birmingham City
Birmingham is Mosque, Cathedral and Church

Birmingham is Brummagem, a limerick, a sonnet,
a never ending growing list of reasons why I love it.